Tractor rail shoe



Aug-15,1967 'E. C.BAUEi ?,JR 3,336,088

TRACTOR RAI'L SHOE Filed July 12, 1965 I N VEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,336,088 TRACTOR RAIL SHOE Eugene C. Bauer, Jr., 729 Cumberland Ave., Park Ridge, Ill. 60068 Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,040 3 Claims. (Cl. 305-54) This invention relates to tractor rail shoes and more particularly to an improved shoe for relieving loads applied to bolts securing the shoe to the tractor rail.

It has heretofore been known that the bolts which secure the shoes to the endless track or rail of materialmoving tractors sustain substantial shear loads during tractor use. These heavy loads have been known to shear the bolts and in other instances the movement of the bolts in the rail link holes have enlarged the holes so that the shoe is subject to a loose fit and the links are damaged. I have previously attempted to solve this problem by my invention described and claimed in United States Patent No. 2,823,080. However, I have now found that the horizontal shear loads applied to the bolts, particularly when the tractor is executing a turn, comprise twisting or rotation of the shoe relative to the link.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a tractor shoe secured by bolts to a rail link, the shoe having a plurality of lugs extending from the inner or mating surface and engaging the outer side surface of the rail links so as to lock the shoe against movements relative to the link.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tractor shoe to be bolted to an ordinary rail link, the link, consisting of a tubular member inter-connecting two side members and the'latter having earthward edge surfaces; the shoe has a plurality of lugs extending from the mating surface which tightly engage the side member outer surfaces so as to prevent movement of the shoe relative to the link.

For a better understanding of the invention together with other further objects thereof, reference should now be made to the following detailed description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a mated shoe and link for a crawler tractor;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the mating surface of a shoe showing the link in phantom lines;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the shoe; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side elevational view of a portion of the shoe as taken along the line 44 in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a rail link engaged with a crawler tractor shoe 12. The link 10 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending side members 14 and 16 spaced in substantially parallel relation and connected by a transversely disposed tubular member 18 at the rearward end of the link. Each of the side members 14 and 16 have elongated mounting edges 20 and 22, respectively, and outer surfaces, one of which is shown in FIGURE 1. A pair of holes are formed through the elongated mounted edge in each of the side members, such as the pair 23 shown in FIGURE 1.

The shoe 12 has a front edge 24, as seen in FIGURE 2, and two pairs of openings 26 and 28 for registering with 3,336,088 Patented Aug. 15, 1967 the linkside members pair of holes. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the pairs of openings in the shoe are counterbored on the earthward surface of the shoes. The mating surface of the shoe has two upraised portions 30 and 32 for engaging the link side member elongated mounting edges 20 and 22. Extending from the mating surface of the shoe are two pairs of lugs 34 and 36. The lugs are positioned so that when the shoe is mounted on the link the lugs tightly engage the outer surface of side members 14 and 16. Each pair of lugs 34 and 36 are thus laterally offset relative to the openings'26 and 28, respectively.

Fastening means 38 secure the shoe to the link.

As seen in FIGURE 4, the mounting surface of the shoe is undercut 40 immediately adjacent the inner edge of each lug so as to eliminate the possibility of a fillet which would prevent proper contact between the shoe upraised portions 30 and 32, and the link side member edges 14 and 16.

It will be appreciated that with the shoe lugs positioned so as to engage the outer surfaces of the link side members, rotational movement of the shoe relative to the link is effectively prevented. Unlike my prior above-mentioned invention, the means for preventing rotation of the shoe is in a spaced apart relation relative to the center of rotation so as to take advantage of an increased lever arm.

The above-described embodiment of my invention illustrates the means for preventing movement of a tractor shoe relative to a link on a crawler-type shoe and a particular link configuration. It will be understood, however, that various other shapes and sizes of links and shoes may be used. Moreover the above-described embodiment is but the preferred form of my invention, it being contemplated that my invention will be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a link and shoe assembly for an endless track, the link including a pair of side members, each side member having a pair of vertically extending side surfaces, each provided with a pair of openings in one edge and a tubular member disposed transversely to the side members connecting the side members in spaced substantially parallel relation, the shoe having two pairs of openings for registering with the openings in the edges of the side members, and bolts connecting the shoe and the link side members through the registering openings: the improvement consisting in that the shoe includes two pairs of lugs depending from the shoe, each pair of said lugs being laterally offset in opposite directions relative to said openings and positioned so as to engage one of said vertically extending side surfaces.

2. In an endless track, a link and shoe assembly comprising:

(a) a link including a pair of side members having exterior vertically extending side surfaces, each side member provided with a pair of openings in one edge, a tubular member disposed transversely between said side members connecting said members in spaced substantially parallel relation,

(b) a shoe having two pairs of openings for registering with the openings in the edges of said side members,

two pairs of lugs depending from said shoe, each pair of said lugs being laterally ofiset from said openings and being positioned so as to engage 3 the exterior side surface of one of said side members, and

(c) bolts connecting said shoe and said side members through said registering openings.

3. A link and shoe assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said shoe openings are counterbored on the earthward surface of said shoe whereby said bolts do not protrude above said earthward surface.

References Cited 4 1,630,089 5/1927 Leake 305-58 X 2,211,896 8/1940 Johnston 305-54 2,823,080 2/1958 Bauer 305-54 2,982,585 5/1961 Murtaugh 305-54 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,067,020 1/ 1954 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Kaelble, German application No. 1,029,455, published January 1966.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD J. JOHNSON, Examiner. 

1. IN A LINK AND SHOE ASSEMBLY FOR AN ENDLESS TRACK, THE LINK INCLUDING A PAIR OF SIDE MEMBERS, EACH SIDE MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF VERTICALLY EXTENDING SIDE SURFACES, EACH PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF OPENINGS IN ONE EDGE AND A TUBULAR MEMBER DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY TO THE SIDE MEMBERS CONNECTING THE SIDE MEMBERS IN SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION, THE SHOE HAVING TWO PAIRS OF OPENINGS FOR REGISTERING WITH THE OPENINGS IN THE EDGES OF THE SIDE MEMBERS, AND BOLTS CONNECTING THE SHOE AND THE LINK SIDE MEMBERS THROUGH THE REGISTERING OPENINGS: THE IMPROVEMENT CONSISTING IN THAT THE SHOE INCLUDES TWO PAIRS OF LUGS DEPENDING FROM THE SHOE, EACH PAIR OF SAID LUGS BEING LATERALLY OFFSET IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS RELATIVE TO SAID OPENINGS AND POSITIONED SO AS TO ENGAGE ONE OF SAID VERTICALLY EXTENDING SIDE SURFACES. 